Context:
India’s Scheduled Tribe (ST) population comprises approximately 10.42 crore people, accounting for 8.6% of the total population. Spread across 705 officially recognized tribal groups, most of these communities live in remote, forested, and underdeveloped regions. Historically, they have faced social, economic, and infrastructural exclusion. In response, the Government of India has implemented several welfare schemes aimed at socioeconomic upliftment, infrastructure development, and cultural preservation.

·        The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) plays a central role in tribal development. It has increased financial allocations, encouraged convergence across ministries, and restructured planning and implementation to improve last-mile delivery of government benefits.

Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan:

One of the most significant recent initiatives is the Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan, India’s largest tribal outreach and benefit saturation campaign. Running from June 15 to 30 June, 2025, it covers:

• 549 tribal-majority districts
• 207 PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) districts
• Over 1 lakh villages and habitations
• 5.5 crore tribal citizens across 31 States and UTs

This campaign operates under two major umbrella programs:

1.       Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN)

2.      Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA)

It is a flagship initiative under Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh, focused on doorstep delivery of services through benefit saturation camps. These camps provide:

• Aadhaar enrolments
• Ayushman Bharat health cards
• PM Jan Dhan bank accounts
• PM-Kisan registration
• Pension enrolments
• Scholarships and insurance schemes
• Skill training and employment linkages

The campaign is guided by five key pillars:

1.       Janbhagidari – Led by community participation

2.      Saturation – Ensuring every eligible household is covered

3.      Cultural Inclusion – Using tribal languages, art, and heritage for engagement

4.     Convergence – Collaboration between ministries, civil society, and youth groups

5.     Last-Mile Delivery – Reaching the remotest tribal habitations

Understanding Tribes in India:

India is home to the second largest tribal population in the world, after Africa. According to the 2011 Census, STs make up 8.9% of the Indian population.

Nomenclature and Identity

• Adivasis: Refers to the indigenous people of India. These communities have a deep connection with nature and possess unique cultures, dialects, and traditional knowledge systems.
• Scheduled Tribes (STs): Defined in Article 366(25) of the Constitution, and notified under Article 342, STs are recognized for affirmative action.
• PVTGs: A sub-category identified in 1975 based on extreme vulnerability. There are 75 PVTGs across 17 States and 1 UT, characterized by:
• Small, homogenous populations
• Pre-agricultural technology
• Low literacy
• Physical isolation and declining population growth

Contributions of Tribal Communities:

1.       Environmental Conservation: Many tribal communities, like the Chenchus of Andhra Pradesh, have protected forests and wildlife for generations.

2.      Economic Contribution: Tribes like the Gonds of Madhya Pradesh are known for traditional crafts and farming.

3.      Indigenous Knowledge: The Siddi tribe, of African descent, holds deep knowledge of medicinal plants, beekeeping, and forest ecology.

4.     Political Representation: Tribals have contributed significantly to India’s democratic institutions, policy discourse, and cultural identity.

Major Tribal Welfare Schemes:

1. Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN)

Launched on November 15, 2023, PM-JANMAN focuses on the upliftment of PVTG communities in 18 States and 1 UT. With a budget of ₹24,000 crore over 3 years, the scheme targets:

• Housing and drinking water
• Education and healthcare
• Road and telecom connectivity
• Electrification
• Sustainable livelihoods

By January 2025, projects worth ₹4,450 crore were approved, and ₹7,356 crore sanctioned.

An Information, Education & Communication (IEC) Campaign ran from August 23 to September 10, 2024, to:

• Reach 44.6 lakh individuals (10.7 lakh households)
• Cover 28,700 PVTG habitations in 206 districts
• Provide essential documents and services at the doorstep

2. Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY)

Originally the Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS) from 1977–78, PMAAGY was revamped in 2021–22 to bridge basic infrastructure gaps in tribal-majority villages.

Key features:

• Targets 36,428 villages with ≥50% ST population
• Converges 58 central and state schemes
• Budget: ₹7,276 crore over five years
• 17,616 Village Development Plans already approved
• ₹2,357.5 crore released to date

3. Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM)

This scheme promotes tribal entrepreneurship and the “Vocal for Local by Tribal” initiative. It aims to increase value addition to Minor Forest Produce (MFPs) and support tribal enterprises.

Highlights:

• Budget of ₹1,612 crore over 5 years
• Implemented by TRIFED
• Establishment of:
• 3,000 Haat Bazaars
• 600 Warehouses
• Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) and Producer Enterprises

Progress:

• 3,959 VDVKs sanctioned in 28 States/UTs, benefiting 12 lakh tribal individuals
• ₹319.65 crore released as revolving funds for MFP procurement
• 87 new MFPs added under MSP for MFP scheme
• ₹89.14 crore sanctioned for 1,316 haats, 603 storage units, and 22 processing units
• ₹665.34 crore worth of procurement completed

4. Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS)

Launched in 2018–19, the EMRS scheme provides high-quality residential education from Classes VI to XII for tribal students.

Key developments:

• 728 schools approved as of 2024
• 1.33 lakh students enrolled in 2023–24 (up from 34,365 in 2013–14)
• Recurring cost per student increased from ₹24,200 to ₹1,09,000
• In October 2024, 40 EMRS were inaugurated and 25 new ones launched
• ₹2,800+ crore invested in recent expansions
• Plan to recruit 38,800 teachers and staff; 9,023 appointments already made

Special initiatives include:

• National EMRS Cultural & Literary Fests
• Student educational excursions to Delhi and Amrit Udyan
• Collaboration with the Amazon Future Engineer Program introducing AI and coding to 50 EMRS

Conclusion:

India’s tribal welfare strategy is becoming more people-centric, inclusive, and technologically enabled. Campaigns like Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan demonstrate a shift towards community-led development, with strong emphasis on last-mile delivery and inter-ministerial convergence. Flagship schemes like PM-JANMAN, PMAAGY, PMJVM, and EMRS collectively aim to not just address tribal underdevelopment, but to integrate tribal communities into the national growth narrative without eroding their distinct identities. The momentum created by these initiatives, if sustained and strengthened, could help bridge India’s long-standing tribal development gaps and build a more equitable, empowered, and inclusive Bharat.